Four Indian children die after receiving measles shot

Four children in Lucknow, India, died after being administered the measles vaccine followed by a vitamin A solution on August 20.

The parents of the children allege that the deaths were due to the vaccine. The children were all from outlying villages and had been brought to the immunization camp at the Nigoha Primary Health Center in Lucknow to be vaccinated, according to TwoCircles.net.

Emergency health workers were notified around 11 a.m. that several children had fallen ill, but by the time they reached the scene at 11:30 a.m., the children were already dead. The youngest of the children was six-months old. All of the children were below two years of age.

According to witnesses, TwoCircles.net reports, the children fainted soon after they were given the vaccine. Their eyes then rolled back and they started convulsing, with fluid coming out of their mouths. Health officials and the district administration have yet to determine the cause of death.

As news spread, immunization drives in 41 villages were stopped.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. A.K. Shukla announced that irate villagers had held several from the immunization clinic hostage for several hours, TwoCircles.net reports.

Public officials stated that those found responsible for the deaths would be punished. The district magistrate announced that compensation would be offered to the families of between approximately $500 to $1,000. A pension will be provided to the family of a child rendered physically disabled by the incident.

Several medical officers from the public health center have been suspended from duty pending results of the children's autopsies.